Mexican airlines continue to operate flights to Cuba despite severe aviation fuel shortages on the island. The key decision was to operate fully refueled flights in Mexico — There is enough fuel for a round trip without refueling at Cuban airfields.
Cuban Ambassador to Mexico Eugenio Martinez Enriquez confirmed that all airlines operating on the Mexico-Cuba route are maintaining their current schedule. «Flights to Cuba from Mexico are not suspended. We have confirmed that all airlines operating flights to Cuba are maintaining their frequencies», — he said on the social network X.
The statement came amid an emergency notification from Cuban authorities sent to international airlines through the NOTAM system. The document states that from February 10 to March 11, aviation fuel will be unavailable at all nine international airports of the state due to the energy crisis and the consequences of the US oil embargo.
Mexican budget airline Viva Aerobus said it would continue flying as normal. The planes will be refueled in Mexico with enough fuel to cover both legs of the flight. Other Mexican carriers are using a similar strategy. Currently, flights to Cuba are operated by Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus and Volaris — from Mexico City (AIFA), Monterrey, Merida and Cancun.
Against this background, a number of foreign airlines have already adjusted their flight programs. Spain's Air Europa and Iberia introduced technical refueling stops in the Dominican Republic, while Air Canada announced a temporary suspension of flights to Cuba. The measures primarily affected long-haul routes, which critically depend on refueling options on the island.
As we wrote earlier, the fuel crisis in Cuba has already led to serious consequences for Russian carriers and travelers. In February, flight cancellations and many-hour delays were recorded, including the cancellation of a flight by Rossiya Airlines. from Moscow to Varadero immediately before departure. Airplanes are forced to be flown to Havana to refuel with remaining kerosene, and some flights are operated with changes or cancelled. The Venezuelan airline Conviasa decided to end its flight program to Cuba after February 22, transferring responsibility for transporting passengers to the Russian Nordwind Airlines.